Mairead Maguire: the US and the UK committed genocide against the Iraqi people - they killed 3.3 m people – including 750,000 children

Global Peace Science in Vatican

Наука Глобального Мира в Ватикане

Press Release:

After 70 years of Ethnic cleansing and global compliity – are we Racist?

BY Mairead Maguire (Nobel Peace Laureate)

Since the beginning of the Palestinian Grand Return March o­n land Day 30th April, the world has looked o­n in horror as Israel has Killed at least 109 Palestinians and injured thousands of unarmed Palestinians asking to return to their land and seeking to protect nonviolently what little of their land is left.

The massacre and o­ngoing slow genocide in Gaza where two million (mostly refugees and mostly youth) are subjected to Issraeli government policies that ignore human rightsand international law, and implement apartheid and ethnic cleansing policies which goes unchallenged by the rest of the world. We should not allow the Palestinians to be punished by Israel because of what happened to Europen Jews in the Holocaust during the second world war. Norshould we allow Europe and the Worlds future to be manipulated by the past and the world to be held to ransom by Zionism.For over 70 years anyone who critizes Israeli policies,has been silenced by threats of being anti-semitic and Political Leadership have yet to call Zionism’s bluff and demand they stop the persecution of Palestinian people.

The Middle East and Palestinians should not be made pay with their lives for what happened 70 years ago, and surely at some point in time, Europeansincluding Germany will have to question how big a price Palestinians must pay through our silence and complicity. For too long anti-semitic accusations have been wielded by Israeli Zionists,as a political weapon to silence anyone who challenges Zionist Policies, and it is widely known and feared in media and politics that to question Israeli policies and be labelled anti semitic, is a possible career ending for anyone with the courage to do so. It is time for the people to wash away the shame and guilt of the second world war and no longer be silent and complicit in the modern day slow genocide of the Palestinian people.

I question myself is the major underlying problem o­ne of sub-conscious racism towards Palestinians and Muslims? Dehumanization, religion, language, race,have all played a part in the dehumanization of the Palestinian people because they are not western christians.Fear of the unknown and ’the other’ can so easily be fed by unscruplous people for their own purposes, and this leads to violence which can lead to war. The demonization of the Palestinians and other Middle Eastern muslim countries, in readiness for NATOs wars, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and now Iran, is racist and western interventions to destroy countries and claim their resources continues to be standard western policy. Bombing and intervention by Western powers would never be tolerated in Western countries. Can you image the outcry if Germany, Italy, France, UK had its unarmed civilians held under seige, starved, shot, and gassed for protesting their right to live in their own land and have their rights.

Over 30 years I havehoped, protested and prayed for World powers to come to their senses, and for a genuine peace process, where Israel chooses peace and not confiscated Palestinian land and resources, , and to end the palestinian suffering. Unfortunately I have come to the conclusion that Governments are just too afraid and unwilling to stand up to the US and its powerful Israeli lobby, so I encourage everyone to support the o­ngoing nonviolent resistance of the Palestinian people and the current international grassroots Campaign for Israeli Divestment/Disinvestment against the criminal apartheid regime of Israel.

I extend to the Palestinian people my deepest sympathy o­n the killing of their sons and daughters and the continuingoccupation and seizing of their land by Israel. I thank them for their courage and sacrifice to challenge injustice and the latest inhumanity perpetrated upon them by Israeli/USA Gov.,policies. Though our hearts are aching watching your suffering, we take hope from the Palestinian peoples brave struggle and pray your hearts will not be hardened by injustice and suffering, but remain at peace and your struggle nonviolent and true to the great spirit of the Palestinian people.

I write to convey my deep sadness and sympathy to victims and families of the tragedy in Kemerovo where 64 people were burnt in a fire o­n 25 March of which 41 were children. This terrible tragedy challenges us all to increase our efforts for peace and harmony to build fraternity amongst all humans and countries. No more nuclear wars no more war.

The GHA is very grateful and highly appreciates your great in significance presenting (below) our “UN Reform” project (http://www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=769) to its senior officials: the Secretary General and the General Assembly President. We are sure that your appeal as a Nobel Peace Laureate (http://peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=678) will not be left without attention and without response. Your info is published in this project and o­n the Home page of our website. Thank you very much.

On January 20 our another colleague told me about similar intention: Prof. John Avery, also the Nobel Peace Laureate (http://peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=672), who wrote to me: “My dear friend Leo, I will do my best, and if I receive a reply, I will immediately forward it to you, all my dear GHA friends throughout the world, John”.

The more such facts, the more likely it is that this unprecedented scientific project of the UN reform will attract the attention of this organization. I urge this to be done first of all by Anglo-Saxon scholars. Because I noticed that my appeals from Russia remain without attention and without an answer. They are simply ignored in international organizations, in which 90% of the apparatus is made up of Anglo-Saxons who are amused by the new kind of racism invented by them: Russophobia: it allows them to ignore all Russian appeals from the threshold. Therefore, in this situation, such letters of American scientists are especially valuable. We hope and appreciate their activity with the promotion of our unique project. Best wishes for peace from harmony, Dr. Leo Semashko, GHA Honorary President, 24-01-18

Your wonderful and bold presentation at this Conference is filled with many peacemaking meanings, the key of which is that the "Science of War", which is the basis of nuclear and other weapons, "is being replaced by a Global Science of Peace based o­n love and Harmony." You are o­ne of the founders of this unprecedented science (http://peacefromharmony.org/docs/global-peace-science-2016.pdf), which you now brought to the Vatican. This is your great contribution to global peace and disarmament. We and history highly appreciate it.

It is good to be with you all, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your work for Peace and Humanity. Thank you also for giving me the opportunity to speak about the Peace Process in N. Ireland.

N. Ireland is a deep ethnic/political conflict, and Religion plays both a negative and positive role in our society.This was brought home to me, when in the early l970s a young Irish Republican man, told me he was in the Armed Struggle of the IRA fighting a Just War and that the Catholic Church blesses“Just Wars“.We need to throw out the Just War theory, a phony piece of morality. Instead we can develop a new Theology of Peace and Nonviolence and articulate a clear unambiguous rejection of violence. Religion cannot be used to justify war or armed struggle.

There are many lessons to be learned from the Northern Irish conflict.One lesson is that violence never works, be it State, Relational, Paramilitary violence, or the violence of sectarianism, discrimination or injustice.For many years these methods were used and they plunged our country (one and a half million people) into the darkness of death and further segregation and polarization. A Light in the darkness came when in l976 thousands of people, 90% women, marched to call for an end to violence and for peace. They called for all inclusive, unconditional talks, including with those using violence, insisting we must talk to our perceived enemies, be reconciled together and find solutions. They insisted the UK Government uphold Human Rights and International Laws and not put aside the Rights of people, or use means which were illegal and counter-productive. In the first few months of this Civil Society movement for peace and reconciliation, there was a 70% drop in violence.

After a long process of dialogue, and diplomacy, across the communities, between people, paramilitary groups, and politicians, mediated by Civil Community and members of Clergy, eventually a Good Friday Agreement was reached in l998.This Agreement, based o­n Power Sharing between the Unionists, Nationalists, and others, was a ground breaking achievement in that it brought together many Political parties and tackled hard issues.Unfortunately, many of the Policies agreed upon were not fully implemented and continue to cause dissention within our Executive, Assembly and Community.What could have been set up was an independent body charged with the implementation of the Agreement whose recommendations for resolving disputes would be binding o­n the parties.In the absence of this, the Executive is obliged to address every crisis o­n a case by case basis and with no commitment to accepting recommendations to resolve the crisis.

Unfortunately our Executive has had many problems working o­n a power sharing basis but it is hoped that as time goes o­n they will adopt a more co-operative and compromising approach in working these institutions.For many the key to progress lies with the community where people live their daily lives.The integration of our society is very important and integrated Education, Peace Education, Therapy, Counseling, etc., will be ways in which to heal and reconcile our society. At the heart of a peace culture is a recognition that every persons life and their humanity is more important than a persons ethnic inheritance.This peace culture o­nly develops when every citizens humanity is valued above that citizens ethnic/religious inheritance. Where a citizens’ vote is sought and cast o­n the basis of human worth rather than o­n perceived inheritance or identity.Empowering local grassroots communities, including women and youth, to get involved in community peacebuilding, job creating, etc., will give hope and build self-belief, confidence and courage.

Post conflict we know how long and difficult the task before us.We accept this challenge to change ourselves and deepen our virtues of compassion, empathy, love, so necessary to change our society. Seeing the person in every o­ne and loving and serving them will help us transcend selfishness, bigotry and sectarianism. Deepening our relationships, with family, friends, society, will keep us strong and give us wisdom and courage in the hard times. In a spirit of enjoyment and enthusiasm, aware of the beauty of life, creation, within and without, we can live joyfully each moment and celebrate the gift of being alive.

We join with everyone around the world to build a demilitarized peaceful world.We thank Pope Francis for his clear moral/spiritual leadership in calling for the abolition of the death penalty and Nuclear Weapons.It is an illusion that we are in control and that these weapons give us security.Above all for any of us to harbourthe thought that we have the right to use nuclear weapons and commit genocide is the most disturbing thing of all.We have yet to learn the lessons of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.An apology to the Japanese people by the US Government, those responsible for the genocidal act of using Nuclear bombs will help the healing of relationships and ensure such genocidal acts will never happen again.The policy of Nuclear weapons, show that we have lost our moral compass. It is long overdue that we abolish nuclear weapons and put resources, human and financial, into abolishing poverty and meeting human security as set out in UN Development goals.

However, we need to do more than this.Be brave and imaginative. Join together for a common vision – the total abolition of Militarism and war. We do not need to limit ourselves to civilizing and slowing down militarism, (which is an aberration and system of dysfunction), but demand its total abolition.We can offer a new hope to suffering humanity.Follow the vision of Nobel o­n global co-operation to remove the scourge of militarism and war, and implement the architecture of peace based o­n Human Rights and International Law.

People are tired of armaments and war, which release uncontrollable forces of tribalism and nationalism.These are dangerous and murderous forms of identity and above which we need to transcend, lest we unleash further violence upon the world. Acknowledge that our common humanity and human dignity is more important than our different religions and traditions. Recognize our life and the lives of others are sacred and that we can solve our problems without killing each other. Accept and celebrate diversity and otherness. Heal the old divisions and misunderstandings. Give and accept forgiveness and choose love, nonkilling and nonviolence as ways to solve our problem.

Peace and Justice are necessary, and the ways of dialogue and diplomacy must be seriously undertaken, must be insisted upon by the International Community, as shown in the Iranian nuclear deal, and as could work for a North Korean Peace Treaty. We can transform the erroneous mindset that violence and threats of violence works, weapons and war can solve our problems. Punitive Policies do not bring peace.

We can take courage and confidence, from the fact that the Science of War, is being replaced by a Global Science of Peace based o­n love, Harmony, reverence for life and creation. Thank you to Pope Francis and the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Disarmament. Your work of diplomacy, mediation, fearlessly speaking Truth to Power whatever the cost, gives hope to all of humanity.

The GHA is happy to congratulate you o­n a very important, original and courageous presentation at the Pontifical Symposium in the Vatican (Rome, November 11, 2017), devoted to the "Perspectives for Nuclear and Integral Disarmament". We were happy to publish it o­n your personal page (http://peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=678), widely quoted in the GHA 57 project o­n the UN reform and include it in the bibliography along with your other wonderful peacemaking work.

Your presentation is richly saturated with scientific and humanistic meanings. I chose your most bold and burning peacemaking thoughts of a philosophical and humanistic nature in the next sorting quotations.

Mairead Maguire. The main thoughts about peace, nuclear and integral disarmament, militarism and the science of peace:

"- Violence never works.

- At the heart of a peace culture is a recognition that every persons life and their humanity is more important than a persons ethnic inheritance.

- We join with everyone around the world to build a demilitarized peaceful world.

- The thought that we have the right to use nuclear weapons and commit genocide is the most disturbing thing of all.

- It is an illusion that we are in control and that these [nuclear] weapons give us security.

- We have yet to learn the lessons of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. An apology to the Japanese people by the US Government, those responsible for the genocidal act of using Nuclear bombs will help the healing of relationships and ensure such genocidal acts will never happen again.The policy of Nuclear weapons, show that we have lost our moral compass.

- Join together for a common vision – the total abolition of Militarism and war.

- We do not need to limit ourselves to civilizing and slowing down militarism, (which is an aberration and system of dysfunction), but demand its total abolition.

- Acknowledge that our common humanity and human dignity is more important than our different religions and traditions.

- Science of War is being replaced by a Global Science of Peace based o­n love, Harmony, reverence for life and creation."

They make up your new great contribution to global peace from harmony, to its humanistic and scientific understanding. We highly appreciate its uniqueness and significance. Thank you very much. With love, Leo, Dr. Leo Semashko, GHA Honorary President , 14-11-17

The meeting meaning of the USA and Russia Presidents is the first step towards global peace from the "arms race to a peace race" (King), which will deliver humankind and the planet from military destruction.

What will be their second step? If it will be "Global Peace Science" (GPS), then this shift will become irreversible, nonrandom and not o­nly intuitive.

It will launch a roadmap of global peace paradigm for joint governance model of harmonious economic and democratic growth byinternational cooperationin the unique digital technologies.

It will overcome in perspective the global risks and challenges together with the decline of the 21st century population through its new quality, disclosed in the GPS.

It will ensure the "defences of peace must be constructed"in the minds of men, determined by the UNESCO Constitution that will be the most fundamental, neutral, beyond and above the transient political disagreements, which foment militarism.

The science of peace creates the deepest defense of peace in the minds of people and in the policy that the world expects from the leaders of the largest nuclear powers.

This science replaces the spontaneous age-old constant of militaristic growth with the new eternal conscious constant of "a peace race", which stimulates democratic and economic growth.

Only science is capable to promote the necessary systemic changes with the priority of preserving peace and nature, its ecology and climate.

Therefore, in "a peace race" the world expects from the second meeting these leaders similar a reasonable, scientific and fundamental step.

The G20 main meeting banner expresses the fundamental peacemaking, environmental and systemic ideas of its authors united by the Global Peace Science (GPS) and focused o­n the prospect of a new, more effective meeting of the leaders of the major nuclear powers holding the keys to peace and war in our time. This banner, like its science, is open for further development. Therefore, we are happy to invite thinking and responsible peacemakers and world citizens to further edit it and ask you to send us your proposals in brief formulations within a week.

This banner was inspired by Mrs. Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Laureate: (see below her letter), a genius peacemaker and a fearless woman who together with others stopped the brutal inter-confessional terror in Belfast in 1976, for what she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Active and courageous support of Mrs. Maguire and Prof. John S. Avery, another Nobel Peace Laureate and "one of the Greatest Living Intellectuals o­n Earth", is a good example for all Nobel “Peace Champions” to discuss, develop and promote peace science with its Agenda for the UN, G20 and other political summits.

The mission of the intellectual scientific "defences of peace must be constructed"in the minds of men, determined by UNESCO, is able to unite the Nobel Laureates around this common goal, to raise their peacemaking prestige very much nowadays and overcome the feeling that they do not exist, because their voices in defense of peace and new peaceful Meetings of political leaders are not audiblealmost. The Nobel Peace Summit (http://www.nobelpeacesummit.com/)could discuss and propose to the UN General Assembly Session to consider the "GPS Agenda for the UN", as well as for the future meeting of the USA and Russia leaders, o­n the effective peacemaking result of which all the nations and humans of the world are hope, tired with the 70-year-old ever-increasing threat of military destruction: see to the Doomsday Clock.

Friendly, best wishes for peace from harmony through science,

Dr. Leo Semashko,

GHA Honorary President,

14-07-17

Dear Leo,

Many thanks for your email. Thank to you and your colleagues for all your great work for the Global Peace science project and campaign for the G20 meeting. I am honoured that you have added my name to this campaign for Peace and like you, celebrate the fact that Putin and Trump have met and hope this will be the beginning of cooperation and steps towards peacemaking and not war!

Thank you for letting me see the banner you have written following the G20 meeting and I agree to you putting my name to this.

Peace to you and your family and with deep appreciation for all you continue to do for peace through harmony for the human family.

MAIREAD MAGUIRE WHO VISITED THE WOMENS PEACE MOVEMENTS OF NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA LAST YEAR WITH 30 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN FROM AROUND THE WORLD MADE THE FOLLOWING APPEAL TO PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE USA ADMINISTRATION:

‘THE PEOPLE OF NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA WANT PEACE AND THEY WANT A PEACE TREATY.THEY DO NOT WANT THEIR COUNTRY TO BE BOMBED OR THEIR GOVERNMENT TO BOMB OTHERS.HAVING VISITED BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA LAST YEAR AND WALKED WITH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF KOREAN WOMEN, NORTH AND SOUTH, I AM CONVINCED THAT PEACE IS POSSIBLE AND WHAT IS NEEDED IS THE POLITICAL WILL OF ALL PARTIES TO THE CONFLICT TO DIALOGUE AND FOR NEGOTIATION TO MOVE FROM A KOREAN ARMISTICE TO A KOREAN PEACE TREATY.

I THEREFORE WOULD LIKE TO APPEAL TO PRESIDENT TRUMPT AND THIS ADMINISTRATION NOT TO CARRY OUT A MILITARY STRIKE o­n NORTH KOREA, BUT TO USE THE MEANS OF DIALOGUE AND DIPLOMACY TO REACH A PEACE TREATY FOR NORTH KOREA.SUCH PEACE LEADERSHIP BY PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL GIVE HOPE TO THE PEOPLE OF KOREA AND ALL OF HUMANITY.

THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD NEED TO KNOW THAT PEACE IS POSSIBLE BETWEEN ALL THE HUMAN FAMILY AND THAT THERE ARE POLITICAL LEADERS WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO MOVE FROM ENMITY TO FRIENDSHIP AND WAR TO PEACE.

It would be even stronger if you would attracted the President attention to Global Peace Science (what was made Prof. Rudolf Siebert of USA) as a common spiritual / scientific platform for peaceful cooperation between the US and Russia, as well as North and South Korea, Israel and Palestine and the like, conflicts between which have been smolder and burn for decades. You are o­ne of the founders and coauthors of this science with a great message that "armed groups, militarism and war do not solve our problems, but exacerbate them, force us to use new ways and this why should we study the science of the world at all levels of society"(ibid). "Peace is possible between the whole human family" o­nly o­n the general scientific / spiritual / value basis of this science. This understanding is also very important for your upcoming "Women's Ship of Peace" in Gaza. If you want and tell me your address, I will be happy to send for your Ship 4 copies of our Global Peace Science. Thank you.

I am also pleased to report o­n the publication o­n our site of an extremely important article by George O’Neill o­n US and Russian cooperation and its banner here:Http://peacefromharmony.org/#spherons-as-the-GPS-centerWith love, Dr. Leo Semashko, GHA Honorary President, 27-04-17

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Dear Leo,

Hope you are well.

Today we delivered Letter to USA Consulate in Belfast and also

last week sent Letter to President Putin.

(see photos below)

Every good wish

Mairead Maguire

January 30, 2017

Mairead Maguire and members of the Peace People Ireland delivered letter to USA consulate calling on President Trump and President Putin to work together for nuclear zero and no war

Banner:

PEACE PEOPLE call for Presidents Trump/Putin to work

together for nuclear zero and no war

Call to Trump/Putin to work together for nuclear zero and no war

Dear Mairead, We are happy to receive your good news that you sent the GHA Appeal "Russia-America:

Copernican Revolution of Relations Instead of the Insanity of Nuclear War”

I was glad to publish your info below and your wonderful pictures of your demonstration at the American Consulate in Belfast o­n your personal page here: http://peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=678 Your call to these leaders is especially important, because you are the legendary and brave winner of the Nobel Prize, who, together with colleagues put an end to terrorism in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Your vote is particularly noticeable, and it is very important today, when war and terrorism are o­n the threshold of each country, when politics is militarized and way out of which to the geopolitics of global peace is possible o­nly through Global Peace Science (http://peacefromharmony.org/docs/global-peace-science-2016.pdf). You are the coauthor and o­ne of the founders of this science, which o­ne of the projects you sent to Trump and Putin. We hope that they will not leave without attention your call and the GHA Appeal. With love and best wishes for peace from harmony,

BELFAST - How can we explain that in the 2lst century we are still training millions of men and women in our armed forces and sending them to war?

There are more choices than war or peace, there are multi-optional choices and a civilian-based non-military diplomatic-political policy has more chance of succeeding in solving a violent conflict.

“Every day through our television and local culture, we are subjected to the glorification of militarism and bombarded with war propaganda by governments telling us we need nuclear weapons, arms manufacturers, and war to kill the killers who might kill us.”

In war, the cost in civilian lives is incalculable, not to mention the many military personnel whose lives are destroyed. Then there is the cost to the environment and the cost to human potential as our scientists waste their lives planning and researching even more horrific weapons which increasingly, in modern war, kill more civilians than combatants.

For example, the United States and the United Kingdom committed genocide against the Iraqi people when, between 1990 and 2012, they killed 3.3 million people – including 750,000 children – through sanctions and wars.

We all also watched our television screens in horror in July and August this year as the Israeli military bombarded civilians in Gaza for 50 days.

But, why are we surprised at this cruelty of military when they are doing what they are trained to do – kill, at the behest of their politicians and some people?

It is shocking to listen to politicians and military boast of their military prowess when in lay persons’ terms what it means is killing of human beings.

Every day through our television and local culture, we are subjected to the glorification of militarism and bombarded with war propaganda by governments telling us we need nuclear weapons, arms manufacturers, and war to kill the killers who might kill us.

However, too many people do not have peace or the basics to help them achieve peace.

They live their lives struggling with the roots of violence, some of which are poverty, war, militarism, occupation, racism and fascism. They have seen that they release uncontrollable forces of tribalism and nationalism. These are dangerous and murderous forms of identity which we need to transcend.

To do this, we need to acknowledge that our common humanity and human dignity are more important than our different traditions; to recognise that our lives and the lives of others are sacred and we can solve our problems without killing each other; to accept and celebrate diversity and otherness; to work to heal the ‘old’ divisions and misunderstandings; to give and accept forgiveness, and to choose listening, dialogue and diplomacy; to disarm and demilitarise as the pathway to peace.

In my own country, in Northern Ireland, when faced with a violent and prolonged ethnic/political conflict, the civil community organised to take a stand, rejected all violence and committed itself to working for peace, justice and reconciliation.

Through unconditional, all-inclusive dialogue, we reached peace and continue to work to build up trust and friendship and change in the post-conflict era. The civil community took a leading role in this journey from violence to peace.

I hope this will give an example to other countries such as Ukraine, where it is necessary for an end to the war, and a solution of the problem o­n the basis of the Charter of the United Nations and the Helsinki Accords.

We are also challenged to continue to build structures through which we can cooperate and which reflect our relations of interconnection and interdependence. The vision of the founders of the European Union to link countries together economically in order to lessen the likelihood of war among nations is a worthy endeavour.

Unfortunately instead of putting more energy into providing help for E.U. citizens and others, we are witnessing the growing militarisation of Europe, its role as a driving force for armament and its dangerous path, under the leadership of the United States/NATO, towards a new ‘cold’ war and military aggression.

The European Union and many of its countries, which used to take initiatives in the United Nations for peaceful settlements of conflict, are now o­ne of the most important war assets of the U.S./NATO front. Many countries have also been drawn into complicity in breaking international law through U.S./U.K./NATO wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and so o­n.

It is for this reason that I believe NATO should be abolished and that steps be taken towards disarmament through non-violent action and civil resistance.

The means of resistance are very important. Our message that armed groups, militarism and war do not solve our problems but aggravate them challenges us to use new ways and that is why we need to teach the science of peace at every level of society.

The whole of civilisation is now facing a challenge with the growth of what President Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961) warned the U.S. people against – the military/industrial complex – saying that it would destroy U.S. democracy.

We know now that a small group made up of the military/industrial/media/corporate/academic elite, whose agenda is profit, arms, war and valuable resources, now holds power worldwide and has a stronghold o­n elected governments. We see this in the gun and Israeli lobbies, among others, which wield great power over U.S. politics.

We have witnessed this in o­ngoing wars, invasions, occupations and proxy wars, all allegedly in the name of “humanitarian intervention and democracy”. However, in reality, they are causing great suffering, especially to the poor, through their policies of arms, war, domination and control of other countries and their resources.

Unmaking this agenda of war and demanding the implementation of justice, human rights and international law is the work of the peace movement.

We can turn our current path of destruction around by spelling out a clear vision of what kind of a world we want to live in, demanding an end to the military-industrial complex, and insisting that our governments adopt policies of peace, just economics and cooperation with each other in this multi-polar world.

Mairead Corrigan Maguire won the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize for her work for peace in Northern Ireland. Her book, The Vision of Peace (edited by John Dear, with a foreword by Desmond Tutu and a preface by the Dalai Lama) is available from www.wipfandstock.com. She lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland. See: www.peacepeople.com

International Women’s Boat to Gaza

I was a participant o­nboard the Zaytouna-Oliva boat | 29 Sep-5 Oct 2016.

26 Oct 2016 – A few weeks ago, the US government agreed to give Israel $38 billion dollars, the largest military funding package the U.S. has given any nation. This $38 billion in military and other type of Aid will be used to imprison the Palestinians of Gaza, and continue Israel’s military occupation, and imposition of an apartheid state, upon the Palestinian people.

This money will be used in the training fields of Israeli military, which are in Gaza, where military experiments are done, using US military weaponry, by the Israeli Occupation Forces. The U.S. military and government is complicit in the crimes against the people of Gaza and the Palestinian occupied territory by the use of military hardware given by USA and by the training that Israelis give to Americans and USA gives to Israel. It is also estimated that some 70% of European humanitarian aid to Palestine ends up in Israeli pockets.

Gaza continues to suffer from the continuing Israeli blockade, naval and land, and this 25-mile-long tiny strip, 5 miles wide, with l.9 million people, living in it, is a brutal blockade and Israel controls everything including electricity, food, etc.

Indeed, everything that comes into Gaza comes through Israeli hands. Gaza’s o­nly airport was completely destroyed in 2002 by Israeli jets and ground forces. Egypt continues to be a part of this blockade as they have blocked Gaza’s southern border; and Egypt continues to receive USA military funding. Medical authorities have reported that the time for operations in Gaza now goes up to 2025 as so many are awaiting health care, and the increasing issues around food, water, sewage, electricity, all of these mounting problems have led the U.N. to declare in their latest Report, that by the year 2020 Gaza will be uninhabitable. What hope is there for the Palestinians of Gaza, the vast majority of whom are young people?

In order to give hope to the people of Gaza by showing solidarity and support the Women’s Boat to Gaza sailed in September 2016. Also we sailed in order to challenge this illegal and immoral blockade and occupation of Palestine by Israel, and draw international attention to the fact that under Geneva Conventions it is illegal to punish civilians, which is what Israeli government policies continues to do.

The Women’s Boat to Gaza set sail from the Spanish Port city of Barcelona (Barcelona is twinned with Gaza) in mid- September 2016. The three legs of the trip were 1715 miles from Barcelona to Ajaccio, Corsica, France and then down to Messina in Sicily, Italy. It was hoped to have two boats but when o­ne developed engine trouble in Barcelona, the other 50’ sailing boat, Zaytouna-Oliva, continued alone. At all Ports the women were greeted and hosted by mayors, officials, and supporters of the Free Palestine Movement. Over 40 women from around the world flew to Messina in hopes of being able to sail to Gaza.

I joined the boat in Messina, and was grateful to be chosen as o­ne of the 13 women from thirteen countries, being finally chosen to sail to Gaza. It was sad for those of us sailing to leave behind so many wonderful women due to not enough boats to sail, but it is hoped the Palestinian Coalition will be able to get more sailings to accommodate those wishing to go o­n a future occasion. The 13 chosen participants included Ann Wright, (boat leader) the captain and two crew, two Al Jazeera journalists, and women from USA, Ireland, Russia, UK, Spain, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden/Chile, Malaysia, South Africa, Australia, and Algeria.

The third leg of the journey from Messina to Gaza was almost 1000 miles and a nine-day journey. o­n 29th September 2016, we set sail from Messina, Sicily, after a wonderful reception from the mayor, the Muslim community, and many Palestinian friends in Messina.

The first few days sailing the weather was rough and many of us were seasick, but several days into the journey we had got our sea-legs and busied ourselves helping with the tasks to be done such as cooking, reporting, night watches with the crew, etc. We shared our stories and held nonviolence training. It was a wonderful experience getting to know the women whose courage was inspiring. Their love for the Palestinian people and their freedom was very deep. Unfortunately, some 400 miles from Messina, with some 600 miles to go, we had problems with the boats rigging. An appeal to friends in Crete resulted in a boatful of people coming out to meet us, bringing many gifts of food, and four men to fix the rigging! This was for me o­ne of the most moving experiences of the journey, and it proved yet again, the magnificence of the human spirit. Around 20 men and women answered our call for help and came to our aid, and all for the people of Gaza. After the men fixed our boat rigging, we passed greetings to our rescuers from Crete and sailed in a happy and hope filled mood towards Gaza.

On Wednesday 5th October, we were contacted by the Israeli navy by phone. A few hours earlier all communications via our own phones were cut off. The Israeli navy communicator told Captain Madeleine that we were nearing the 20-mile military Israeli security zone and were breaking Israeli law. They said if we did not turn back or agree to be escorted to Ashdod, they would confiscate our boat and take us to Israel.

However, we kept sailing towards Gaza. We saw several Navy military ships o­n the horizon. At 6 p.m., a Zodiac boat came alongside our boat. There were 30 Israeli sailors including Israeli women sailors who were the first to come o­n board our boat. They were not in combat gear. They wore baseball caps, and long sleeved jerseys. In 2010, I had been o­n the Rachel Corrie Irish/Malaysian boat, which was part of the Freedom Flotilla and when we were boarded by Israeli sailors, they were in combat gear, with rifles, and sniffer dogs, and we were handcuffed and forcibly taken to Israel. I was surprised when this different approach was used to confiscate our boat ,the Zaytouna. In 2010, o­n the Mavi Marmara, the Israelis murdered nine people, and subsequently a 10th person died as 50 people were wounded. Therefore, the treatment of our women’s boat to Gaza participants was very different from what happened o­n previous o­nes where I had travelled.

On the Zaytouna, when the Israeli navy sailors confiscated our boat, took us under protest against our will to Israel, arrested, held us for several days without contact with our families, and deported us for ten years, it was all completely illegal under international law. However, it is sad to report that no governments or international bodies have taken up our case for being hijacked, and again the Israeli government has been allowed to break international laws.

All the women were deeply saddened as we knew many people in Gaza were preparing for our visit, and yet again Israel was denying our entry into Gaza. So as we watched the coastline of Gaza in complete darkness and then the coastline of Israel fully lit up against the night sky, we were again witnessing the injustice and unfairness of the Israeli policies against the Palestinians. With this experience, many of us committed in our hearts to continue our support for the Palestinian people’s o­ngoing work to break the blockade and end the occupation. We also saw just off the coast of Gaza two huge gas rigs fully lit up and whose gas is piped to Israel. Yet Gaza has o­nly a few hours of light, as Israeli bombings have destroyed most of its electricity and sewage infrastructures.

When we reached Ashdod, Israel, after six hours sailing, we were processed by Israeli security and searched, taken to Prison and released two days later. All the women o­n board the Zaytouna, now have a ten-year deportation order. As this is my 4th time being given a 10-year deportation order, it will be 40 years before I can return to Israel or get into Palestine. This thought reminds me that there are over 7 million Palestinian people who cannot return to their country, and this is why it is so important to campaign for the right to return for the Palestinian people.

I would like to thank the Freedom Flotilla Coalition who gave us the opportunity to participate o­n the journey to Gaza. Their work of joining in solidarity with the people of Gaza is so important and I thank them for all they do.

To the Palestinian people of Gaza, please keep your hopes high and believe that freedom and peace will come. Thank you for your perseverance and o­ngoing inspiration to us all.

A few weeks ago, the US Government agreed to give Israel $38 billion dollars, the largest military funding package the U.S. has given any Nation.This $38 billion in military and other type of Aid, will be used to imprison the Palestinians of Gaza, and continue Israel’s military occupation, and imposition of an apartheid state, upon the Palestinian people.This money will be used in the training fields of Israeli military which are in Gaza, where military experiments are done, using US military weaponry, by the Israeli Occupation Forces.The U.S. military and Government is complicit in the crimes against the people of Gaza and the Palestinian occupied territory by the use of military hardware given by USA and the training that the Israelis give USA and USA gives to them.It is also estimated that some 70% of European humanitarian aid to Palestine ends up in Israeli pockets.

Gaza continues to suffer from the continuing Israeli blockade, naval and land, and this 25-mile-long tiny strip, 5 miles wide, with l.9 million people, living in it, is a brutal blockade and Israel controls everything including, all the electricity, the food, etc., Indeed, everything which comes into Gaza comes through Israeli hands.Gaza’s o­nly airport was completely destroyed in 2002 by Israeli jets and ground forces.Egypt continues to be a part of this blockade as they have blocked Gaza’s southern border and Egypt continues to receive USA military funding.Medical authorities have reported that the time for operations in Gaza now goes up to 2025 as so many are awaiting health care, and the increasing issues around food, water, sewage, electricity, all of these mounting problems have led the U.N. to declare in their latest Report, that by the year 2020 Gaza will be uninhabitable.What hope is there for the Palestinians of Gaza, the vast majority of whom are young people.?

In order to give Hope to the people of Gaza by showing solidarity and support the Women’s Boat to Gaza sailed to Gaza in September, 2016, Also we sailed in order to challenge this illegal and immoral blockade and occupation of Palestine by Israel, and draw international attention to the fact that under Geneva conventions it is illegal to punish civilians, which is what Israeli government policies continues to do.The Women’s Boat to Gaza set sail from the Spanish Port city of Barcelona (Barcelona is twinned with Gaza) in mid- September 2016.The three legs of the trip were l,715 miles from Barcelona, to Ajaccio, Corsica, France and then down to Messina, in Sicily, Italy.It was hoped to have two boats but when o­ne developed engine trouble in Barcelona, the other 50’ sailing boat, Zaytouna-Oliva, continued alone.At all Ports, the women were greeted and hosted by Mayors, Officials, and supporters of the Free Palestine Movement.Over 40 Women from around the world flew to Messina in the hope of being able to sail to Gaza.

I joined the boat in Messina, and was grateful to be chosen as o­ne of the 13 women from thirteen countries, being finally chosen to sail to Gaza.It was sad for those of us sailing to leave behind so many wonderful women due to not enough boats to sail, but it is hoped the

Palestinian Coalition, will be able to get more sailings to accommodate those wishing to go o­n a future occasion.The 13 chosen participants included Ann Wright, (boat leader) the captain and two crew, two Al Jazeera journalists, and women from USA, Ireland, Russia, UK, Spain, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden/Chile, Malaysia, South Africa, Australia, and Algeria.

The third leg of the journey from Messina to Gaza, was almost l,000 miles and a nine-day journey.On 29th September, 2016, we set sail from Messina, Sicily, after a wonderful reception from the Mayor, the Muslim community, and many Palestinian friends in Messina

The first few days sailing the weather was rough and many of us were seasick, but several days into the journey we had got our sea-legs and busied ourselves helping with the tasks to be done such as, cooking, reporting, night watches with the crew, etc.,We shared our stories and held nonviolence training.It was a wonderful experience getting to know the women whose courage was inspiring and love of the Palestinian people and their freedom very deep.Unfortunately, some 400 miles from Messina, with some 600 miles to go, we had problems with the boats rigging.An appeal to friends in Crete, resulted in a boatful of people coming out to meet us, bringing many gifts of food, and four men to fix the rigging!This was for me o­ne of the most moving experiences of the journey, and it proved yet again, the magnificent of the human spirit, as around 20 men and women, answered our call for help, and came to our aid, and all for the people of Gaza.After the men fixed our boat rigging, we passed greetings to our rescuers from Crete, we sailed in a happy and hope filled mood towards Gaza.

On Wednesday 5th October we were contacted by the Israeli Navy o­n our boat by phone.A few hours previously all our communications via our own phones were cut off.The Israeli Navy communicator told Captain Madeleine that we were nearing the 20-mile military Israeli security zone and were breaking Israeli law.They said if we did not turn back or agree to be escorted by them to Ashdod, Israeli, they would confiscate our boat and take us to Israel.

However, we kept sailing towards Gaza.We saw several Navy military ships o­n the horizon.At 6 p.m., a Zodiac boat came alongside our boat.There were 30 Israeli sailors including Israeli women sailors who were the first to come o­n board our boat.They were not in combat gear.They wore baseball caps, and long sleeved jerseys. In 2010 I had been o­n the Rachel Corrie Irish/Malaysian boat, which was part of the Freedom Flotilla and when we were boarded by Israeli sailors, they were in combat gear, with rifles, and sniffer dogs, and we were handcuffed and forcibly taken to Israel.I was surprised when this different approach was used to confiscate our boat the Zaytouna.In 2010, o­n the Mavi Marmara, the Israelis murdered nine people, and subsequently a 10th person died and 50 people were wounded.So the treatment of our women’s boat to Gaza participants was very different from what happened o­n previous boats to Gaza, o­n which I had travelled, and also what happens daily to Palestinians.

On the Zaytouna, when the Israeli Navy sailors confiscated our boat, took us under protest against our will to Israel, arrested, held us for several days without contact with our families, and deported us for ten years, it was all completely illegal under international law, but it is sad to report that no governments or International bodies have taken up our case of being hi jacked, and again Israeli Government has been allowed to break international laws.

All the women were deeply saddened as we knew many people in Gaza were preparing for our visit, and yet again Israeli was denying our entry into Gaza, so as we watched the coastline of Gaza, which was in complete darkness and then the coastline of Israel, fully lit up against the night sky ,we were again witnessing the injustice and unfairness of the Israeli policies against the Palestinian people .With this experience many of us in our hearts committed to continuing our support for the Palestinian peoples o­ngoing work to break the blockade and end the occupation of Palestine.We also saw just off the coast of Gaza, two huge Gas Rigs, fully lit up and whose gas is piped to Israel, and yet Gaza has o­nly a few hours light, as most of it electricity and sewage works have been destroyed by Israeli bombing.

When we reached Ashdod, Israel, after six hours sailing, we were processed by Israeli security and searched, taken to Prison and released two days later.All the women o­n board the Zaytouna, now have a ten-year deportation order (as this is my 4th time being given a 10-year deportation order, so it means 40 years before I can return to Israel or get into Palestine.This thought reminds me that there are over 7 million Palestinian people who cannot return to their country, and this is why it is so important to campaign for the Right to return for the Palestinian people.

I would like to thank the Freedom Flotilla Coalition who gave us the opportunity to participate o­n the journey to Gaza.Their work of joining in solidarity with the people of Gaza is so important and I thank them for all they do.To the Palestinian people of Gaza please keep your hopes high and believe that freedom and peace will come and thank you for your perseverance and o­ngoing inspiration to us all.

I am happy to be here at this International Meeting and I would like to thank our hosts, for their invitation to attend. I have always been inspired by the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare, whom I believe are Icons of Christian Gospel Peace and Nonviolence. Francis the man of action steeped in empathy and love for all, and Clare a woman of prayer, whose love of God led her into the depth of mysticism and peace.

Francis and Clare lived in a time of violence and war, yet they choose to live the nonkilling/ nonviolence of Jesus. Francis as a youth fighting in his local military, knew well how to wield a sword, yet he choose to follow the command of Jesus to Peter, when he told him to put up his sword and healed the Soldier’s ear. He left the military to live in poverty and service, and together with Clare, and his followers refused to take up arms. Francis and Clare, in the midst of much Feudal violence, choose to follow the Christian nonviolence manifesto ‘the Sermon o­n the Mount’.

For many people in Europe and the world, challenged by growing violence and injustice, the lives of these two great 13th century Saints gives us hope and inspiration.

Pope Francis, following in the steps of St. Francis, gives us all hope as he challenges us to work for the abolition of the death penalty, ending poverty, the arms race, nuclear weapons, and environmental destruction, etc., However, I believe we need a clear renunciation of the ‘just war’ theory (a phony piece of morality in the words of the late Fr. John L. McKenzie) and I add my voice to those appealing to Pope Francis for an Encyclical o­n Peace and Nonviolence, calling Christians to rejection militarism and war and to follow a Peace theology in keeping with the teachings of the Nonviolent Jesus. This would give great Spiritual leadership not o­nly to Europe but to Humanity.

I believe Europe today (as does the human family) faces a choice between accepting increasing militarism and war, or the total abolition of militarism and war. We need a new vision of universal and complete disarmament, and a new ambitious start offering hope to the human family suffering under the scourge of militarism and war. Many ills of the world come from these scourges and we all would gain as ordinary people, spiritually, financially, democratically, environmentally, culturally, from global disarmament. It is a paradox how much we reject and detest torture of individuals, and how easily at the same time we accept the torture of whole nations in war.

People are tired of armaments and war, and the ever growing military industrial complex across the world, destroying so much of our valuable human and financial resources. They have seen that they release uncontrollable forces of tribalism and nationalism. These are dangerous and murderous forms of identity and above which we need to take steps to transcend, lest we unleash further dreadful violence upon the world. To do this, we need to acknowledge that our common humanity and human dignity is more important than our different traditions. We need to recognize our life and the lives of others are sacred and that we can solve our problems without killing each other. We need to accept and celebrate diversity and otherness, and work to heal the old divisions and misunderstandings, give and accept forgiveness, and choose nonviolence as a way to solve our problems. So too as we choose nonkilling and nonviolence, as we disarm our hearts and minds, we can also disarm our countries and our world.

We are also challenged to build structures through which we can co operate and which reflect our interconnected and interdependent relationships. Power sharing, consensus politics, multi optional preferendums, there are many ways of doing politics we could use, which foster friendships, co operation, inclusion, and win/win situations. The vision of the European Union founders, to link countries together, economically in order to lessen the likelihood of war amongst the nations, is a worthy endeavour. Unfortunately instead of putting more energy into providing help for EU citizens, we are witnessing the growing militarization of Europe, its role as a driving force for armaments, and its dangerous path, under the leadership of NATO(US) towards a new ‘cold ‘war and further wars of aggression. The European Union and many of its countries, who used to take initiatives in the UN for peaceful settlements of conflicts, particularly allegedly peaceful countries, like Norway and Sweden, are now o­ne of the US/NATO most important war assets. Instead of the EU focusing more o­n peace by peaceful means, it is focusing o­n military means and military strength and is a threat to the survival of neutrality. Many nations have been drawn into being complicit in breaking international law through US/UK/NATO illegal wars of aggression in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, etc., to mention but a few.

On a recent visit to Afghanistan listening to young Afghan men recall how their friends were killed by USA ‘drones’ whilst our collecting wood, o­ne asks ‘what happened to the rule of International Law standards that weapons and methods of war, which do not discriminate between combatants and civilians, should never be used?’. The bombing of hospitals and civilian targets, torture, renditions, proxy wars, all used by Governments whilst those responsible for upholding Human Rights and International Law set them aside to act illegally in the name of national security. The most cruel and horrific weapons, i.e. nuclear armaments are now regarded by some Government leaders as normal and respectable. Why are individuals expected to uphold moral and ethical standards of conduct, and yet many of our Government Leaders and their Policies ignore these standards?

I believe NATO should be abolished. The United Nations should be reformed and strengthened and the UN should actively take up its mandate to save the world from the scourge of war, and uphold its ban o­n the use of force. Some politicians, journalists, intellectuals, would have us believe we have an option to choose war! We do not, as under International Law, war is criminal and illegal. The Briand-Kellog treaty was a pact to abstain from war, and the Nuremberg trial convicted Nazis for going to war. War is illegal and criminal – this is international law.

But there is hope. There is a new consciousness, and people are mobilizing and resisting non-violently against violence in its many forms. They are saying no to militarism and war and insisting o­n disarmament. Those of us in the Peace Movement can take inspiration from many who have gone before and worked to prevent war insisting o­n disarmament and peace. Such a person was Bertha Von Suttner, whose book ‘Lay Down your Arms’ moved many in Europe to work for peace. She was the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in l905 for her activism in the women’s rights and peace movement. She moved Alfred Nobel to set up the Nobel Peace Prize award and it was the ideas of the peace movement of the period that Alfred Nobel decided to support in his testament for the Champions of Peace, those who struggled for disarmament and replacing military power with rights and international law. That this was the purpose of his will, is clearly confirmed by three expressions of Nobel’s will, creating the fraternity of nations, work for abolition of armies, holding Peace Congresses. Alfred Nobel described war as ‘the horror of horrors and the greatest of crimes”.

This programme of Nobel for Disarmament challenges those of us in the Peace Movement today, to confront militarism in a fundamental way. We must not be satisfied with improvements and reforms, but rather offer an alternative to militarism, which is an aberration and a system of dysfunction, going completely against the true spirit of men and women, which is to love and be loved. As the military industrial complex is so strong and influential, in order to dismantle this, we in the Peace Movement in Europe, and elsewhere, will need a broad mobilization of ordinary citizens across the globe to work together towards this vision of Universal and complete Disarmament, driven o­n by the absolute belief and conviction that ‘War is illegal and immoral, it has to end, and it can be ended’. Peace and the abolition of war is not o­nly possible, it is necessary for our survival. Pace e Bene (Peace and Goodness).

Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Maguire Appeals to European Union and President Obama to Remove Shameful Sanctions against War-torn Syria

At the end of May 2016, the European Council will discuss the renewal of European Union sanctions against Syria, sanctions that have been in existence since 2011. (In 2012, the sanctions were removed concerning the opposition-controlled areas, including the now Daesh/ISIS-controlled areas).

Maguire said,

“Having visited Syria three times and seen the devastating effect o­n the Syrian people, I call upon the European Union and President Obama, to remove immediately sanctions against War Torn Syria. I also support the Petition and call by Religious people from Syria aimed ‘at MPs and the mayors of every country’ to ask for ‘the iniquity of sanctions o­n Syria to be made known to the citizens of the European Union and become, finally, the subject of a serious debate and consequent resolutions’. This is the initiative launched by a number of Syrian bishops, religious and laypeople belonging to different churches to ask the European Union to put an end to sanctions still in place against Syria.

“The brief text of the petition [please sign it] describes how the policy of sanctions imposed by the EU have devastating effects o­n the daily life of the Syrian people, adding to the tragic context of the conflict, which in five years has already resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and six million refugees. The text that introduces the petition says ‘the European Union put into effect sanctions against Syria, presenting them as ‘sanctions against the regime’ which imposed the oil embargo o­n the country, blocking all financial transactions and the prohibition to trade many goods and products.

“A measure that still lasts today, although in 2012 the oil embargo in the areas controlled by the armed and jihadist opposition were removed, in order to provide economic resources to the so-called ‘revolutionary forces of the opposition’. ‘In these five years’ continues the text of the petition –‘the sanctions o­n Syria have helped destroy the Syrian society, condemning it to hunger, epidemics, poverty, encouraging activism of fundamentalist militia fighters who now also strike in Europe.’ The petitioners point out that today ‘Syrians see the possibility of a viable future for families o­nly if they run away from their land but ‘escaping cannot be the o­nly solution that the international community can propose to these poor People’ partly because it ‘encounters many difficulties, due to lively debates within the European Union.

“The petitioners support ‘all humanitarian and peace initiatives that the international community is implementing, in particular through the difficult negotiations in Geneva’. But in the meantime with the hope that the expectations find concrete answers, they ask ‘that the sanctions that affect the daily lives of every Syrian are immediately removed”.

Maguire also called upon President Obama and US Government to lift US economic sanctions against Syria by the US Treasury Department and its enforcement arm, the Office of Financial Assets Control (OFAC) as these sanctions are targeting Syria children and families by damaging Syrian economy and causing rampant inflation of consumer goods prices, while all but choking off economic development.

OFAC regulations stop banks from providing services to charities and others that do business in Syria and have an unanticipated serious impact o­n relief services. OFAC refuses to permit humanitarian funds transfers to Syria and many banks involved are unwilling to risk a mega-fine from OFAC knowing that in 2012 HSBC bank was fined l.9 billion after being charged with violating sanctions laws and many others have been fined, or out of fear curtailed or closed their charitable activities for Syria. The US Financial Regulations and sanctions against Syria whereby the closing of accounts of clean charitable organizations result in their being unable to do their charitable work o­n the ground in Syria, means that much needed aid for Syria’s most vulnerable will continue to be blocked and Syrian children will starve and Syrian refugee families will continue to make risky journeys to other countries, including Europe, in a desperate attempt to save their children.

Whilst millions of compassionate caring people around the world feel passionately for the children of Syria and collect funds and aid for Syria to help, the European and US Financial Regulations are blocking aid and the work of the Charities and Humanitarian agencies, and increasing the death and starvation of Syrian children. In l999 during a visit to Iraq we witnessed the effect of Sanctions put o­n by the west, when o­ne and a half million Iraqi children under the age of five, died slowly and painfully as a result of these cruel Sanction Policies. Surely, our governments have learned what sanctions and war do to people’s lives and we have learned something about peace and diplomacy in solving our problems together and saving the children of the world?

The Peace People began in 1976 as a protest movement against the o­ngoing violence in Northern Ireland. Its three founders were Mairead Maguire, Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown. Over 100,000 people were involved in the initial movement and two of the founders, Mairead and Betty, received the Nobel Peace Prize for that year. Since its inception, the organization has been committed to building a just, peaceful society through nonviolent means – a society based o­n respect for each individual, and that has at its core the highest standards of human and civil rights.

Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize winner, will join the women’s boat to Gaza. The goal of this mission is to highlight the devastating effects of the brutal blockade of the Palestinian people living in Gaza.

The Peace People began in 1976 as a protest movement against the o­ngoing violence in Northern Ireland. Its three founders were Mairead Maguire, Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown. Over 100,000 people were involved in the initial movement and two of the founders, Mairead and Betty, received the Nobel Peace Prize for that year. Since its inception, the organization has been committed to building a just, peaceful society through nonviolent means – a society based o­n respect for each individual, and that has at its core the highest standards of human and civil rights.

Mother Agnès-Mariam of the Cross: President, International Support Team for Mussalaha (Reconciliation) in Syria. From Palestinian father and Lebanese mother; Lebanese and French nationalities. In 1971 she entered the Carmel Discalced Carmelite Order and was cloistered for 21 years following the mystic path of John of the Cross. She is the Abbot of the 6th century Monastery of Saint Jacques the Mutilated in Qara, Syria, restored by her but destroyed recently by invading mercenary jihadists fighting the Syrian government. Founder of the Order of the Unit of Antioch, Melkite Greek Catholic Church.

(TMS Editor’s Note: Mother Agnes was the organizer and leader, along with Mairead, of the Peace Mission to Beirut and Damascus in which I participated in May 2013 [my report here] – Antonio C. S. Rosa)

First of all, I think that to say “the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo led to the start of the First World War in l9l4,” gives the impression that, had the assassination not taken place, we would have never had World War I. The big “war to end all wars” was planned for years and I can assure you, if Ferdinand had not been assassinated, even if he had never existed, we would have had World War I.

In 1906, Leo Tolstoy, o­n witnessing the mad Rat Race in the military industry, the accumulation of weapons, missiles, bombs, tanks, air-fighters, warships, etc, warned: “this is pure madness and it can o­nly lead to o­ne thing: a big international armed conflict”. He explained “if factories don’t sell their products and make sure they are used, so that clients buy again, they’ll be in great trouble”

Quite correctly, Mairead Maguire continues with “What started here in Sarajevo was a century of two global wars”. Yes, “two global wars”, to which she adds “a Cold War, a century of immense, rapid explosion of death and destruction technology”. In Mairead Maguire’s place, I would have indicated that the Cold War was o­nly the name given to the many “wars by proxy” fought between 1945 and 1990. Throughout this period of 35 years there was average of 150 armed conflicts at any given time. These wars were essential for what Ms Maguire calls “…a century of immense, rapid explosion of death and destruction technology”.

Thanks to how simple it is for politicians to organise wars and for the Military to obey orders, a bunch of Press, gold and oil barons, bankers, manufacturers in the Death Industry, Presidents and Prime Ministers are now very rich.

Thanks to obliging politicians, unable or unwilling to oppose their leaders, scientists have been paid handsome amounts of money to develop weapons of increasing sophistication and lethal power. This is what Ms Maguire calls “destruction technology”, made possible by the innocent and gullible masses, which put all their energies into anti-nuclearism campaigns.

Mairead Maguire also said “all extremely costly and extremely risky“, as if costs and risks were of politicians’ concern. Politicians will o­nly worry about costs the day we have a Law “When a politician wishes to have a war, he must finance it himself, with his personal money”. Whilst the system allows politicians to bankrupt their countries and increase their personal fortune at the same time, there will NEVER be Peace.

Same with “risks”. If the Law said “a politician who wishes to declare war o­n another country must fight it himself, (instead of sending Armies to kill and die) that will be a REAL risk. I’m sure we wouldn’t have many wars.

As it is, politicians are o­nly favoured by wars. Of course, not all of them, but those involved in decisions, in purchasing and in selling. Politicians and diplomats involved in “promoting” their country’s war products, have NO OPTION. They must recommend bomb makers, introduce them to new clients. With wars they can never lose.

Politicians, diplomats or top military I speak to, all react the same way when they hear me advocate for a Weapon free world: “Are you mad, Alberto?” are their first words. They then proceed to explain how the military “business” is too good for them to consider abandoning it.

Ms Maguire talked about “the peace movement in the last three decades before the break-out of WWl.”, telling us politicians, writers, Kings, Emperors, etc, were all for Peace. It seems to me, she believes Governments listen to what people want and….do it. In fact, the same happened before World War II and is happening now. We have hundreds of Peace organisations, every single day we hear Church and political leaders, Royalty, etc, speak about Peace.

Ms Maguire actually said “The great strength of the Movement was that it did not limit itself to civilizing and slowing down militarism, it demanded its total abolition.” Why then, didn’t Governments abolish militarism? had they abolished it, the Austro-Hungarian Empire could have never declared war against Serbia.

Furthermore, to make the world believe that “because the Austro-Hungarians decided to attack Serbia”, there was a valid reason for a World War, for so many other countries entering the game, that is something that I shall never believe.

Mairead Maguire says “people are tired of armaments and war because they have seen that they release uncontrollable forces of tribalism and nationalism.” This statement is very misleading. Armaments DO NOT “release uncontrollable forces of tribalism and nationalism”. Nationalism, tribalism, patriotism or religious bigotry are injected into our minds and hearts at school, long before we even know what a weapon is.

Maguire says “These are dangerous and murderous forms of identity”, but, in my opinion, they are not. 95% of soldiers going to war have no “murderous form of identity”. They are simply obeying orders.

Among the steps to be taken for a better world, Maguire suggests “we need to acknowledge that our common humanity and human dignity is more important than our different traditions.” How come, for an Irish woman, she does not realize that sharing humanity and traditions cannot prevent conflict. Irish people share the language, all eat Irish stew and all drink Guinness. But “business”, money and power, of politicians and Church leaders, cancels all that harmony.

Look at the Spanish Civil War. All Roman Catholics, who, depending o­n who brain-washed them, went to o­ne band or the other. Thus, you ended up with members of the same family killing each other, choir members who for years were happy colleagues/friends, also ended up massacring each other.

Maguire says “We need to recognize our life and the lives of others are sacred and we can solve our problems without killing each other.” as if politicians didn’t know that. “We need to accept and celebrate diversity and otherness”. But this we do already. I never heard of a war started because o­ne group eats pork and the other doesn’t, or because o­ne group drinks wine whilst another group has a ban o­n it. I never heard the Kosovo war was the result of Muslim women covering their bodies, whilst Christian women wore mini-skirts. Countries do not attack each other because their folk music uses different rhythms.

Maguire says “we need to heal the ‘old’ divisions and misunderstandings,” without saying “how”. Is she proposing o­ne religion o­nly? Religious divisions are what politicians promote, as they make it easier for them to organise and promote wars.

Maguire says “We are also challenged to build structures through which we can co-operate and which reflect our interconnected and interdependent relationships.” But this is EXACTLY what leading politicians and diplomats do. They are extremely well “interconnected”. Wars happen precisely because of the interconnection between Presidents and/or Prime Ministers, other members of Cabinet, top military and top diplomats. Wars happen because of agreements between Governments and Banks.

Maguire says “The vision of the European Union founders to link countries together, economically in order to lessen the likelihood of war amongst the nations, is a worthy endeavour.” This is another misleading piece of information. Politicians consider the Arms Trade the best possible news for their own Bank accounts. This means the “economic link” is the mutually benefiting military contracts. In fact, the League of Nations was formed in 1920, after so many millions dead in World War I, so that people believed politicians were now working for Peace, when in reality they organised several wars outside of Europe, whilst working o­n a plan for World War II.

Having lost their reputation with World War II, the League of Nations closed shop and reappeared as United Nations, another misleading name. They are “United” yes, united in promoting wars and abuse of Human Rights, to which they added another fabulous business: the Refugees Industry.

Of course I wholeheartedly agree with Mairead Maguire o­n the abolition of NATO, but then ALL armies, ALL Armed Forces should be abolished. Then Ms Maguire will not need to utter these ominous words: “The UN should actively take up its mandate to save the world from the scourge of war.” because the UN wouldn’t exist. In fact, the UN was created, as I said before, so that we can “continue” to have wars.

OK, Alfred Nobel decided to support the Champions of Peace, those who struggled for disarmament and international relations, by establishing the Nobel Peace Prize, but this, after he invented dynamite!! at the time of his death in 1896 he had 355 patents, several of them for explosives. It was a case of “like father, like son”, as Immanuel Nobel, Alfred’s father, designed the naval mines consisting of submerged wooden casks filled with gunpowder

All of you who have read me over the years will know that the “leitmotiv” of my life has always been, is and will always be “a demilitarised world”. I have many supporters, who, like Mairead Maguire or myself, oppose weapons and militarism. However, this is far from enough. How can we educate children for them to become anti-military adults, if the Education Minister’s brief (political brief) is to create a society of young men and women attracted to violence , whose choice of career o­n leaving school will be: enlisting in the Army, Navy or Air-Force?

Why do Governments promote the outdoor game “Paint-Ball? why do so many businesses go bankrupt, but never a bomb manufacturer?

Maguire says we – the Peace lobby – must “offer an alternative to militarism” but she doesn’t offer o­ne. What does she propose we do with the many millions employed in the military industry, from scientists working in research to makers of soldiers’ uniforms and torture kits?

She says – which is absolutely true – that “the spirit of men and women is to love and be loved and solve our problems through co-operation, dialogue, non-violent conflict resolution.”. But Bush and Blair and all politicians in the world know this !!!!! the difference is that, because society accepts the existence of weapons, politicians do EXACTLY what we tell them.

I explain. “solve our problems through co-operation”. Politicians co-operate o­n solving their problems all the time. Trouble is, their problems are not the same as ours. Their problems are: how to make better weapons than our competitors, how to gain contracts over rival competitors, what commissions they get, etc. This is what politicians call “dialogue” and it is always of a non-violent nature. When Bush and Blair negotiated the war in Iraq with Saddam Hussein, there was no argument between them. They discussed the war to come very peacefully, over a period of several weeks, when to start it, who should send the first missile, etc.

I don’t like the sound of the following words uttered by Mairead Maguire’s: “we shall be inspired and energized to pursue our different projects, be it arms trade, nuclear, non-violence, culture of peace, drone warfare, etc.,” How can we be working for Peace and the Arms Trade at the same time?

In the following phrase “we can agree to work that all countries come together in an Agreement to abolish all weapons and war”, the word “war” is unnecessary, as with the abolition of weapons, war would never be possible.

To me, as much as I agree with Mairead Maguire’s emphatic call for a world without weapons and admire her for making this call, I feel that her suggestions for action are insufficient. It is not enough to shout in all directions “I don’t want a militarized world”! whilst the games we buy for our children and grandchildren, the films they watch o­n television, the teaching at schools of Nationalism, Patriotism, Religious superiority, etc, etc., are all promoting violence and a militarized world.

To transform the world, children should not o­nly be taught a list of wars, with names of battles, number of deaths, names of “heroes” (the o­nes who killed the most), etc. Teachers and parents alike should be able to explain how all those war could have been avoided, how they should have never happened.

Alberto Portugheis is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace, Development and Environment. By profession a concert pianist and pedagogue www.apion.org.uk/tapsim, he is an active peace campaigner, whose anti-military stance earned him a nomination for the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize. As a result, Portugheis wrote, “Dear Ahed…..The Game of War and a Path to Peace” – a book that has received critical acclaim http://www.dearahed.co.uk. He contributes regularly to Twitter and has many followers. Some of his thoughts, ideas and reflections, which express o­nly the desire “to make people think” and not take for granted what they read, “no matter where”, can be found in his blog http://portugheis.livejournal.com.

On 5th March, 2014 Mairead Maguire and Ann Patterson, members of the Peace People, N. Ireland were deported from Egypt as they attempted to enter the country in order to join an international delegation of 100 women wishing to visit Gaza via the Egyptian Rafah Border.

The women from around the world had been invited by the Women of Gaza to join them o­n 8th March, International Women’s Day. o­nly 17 of the 100 women were allowed to enter Egypt and those turned away were given no reason for this decision by the Egyptian government, that later when challenged, said those refused entry to Egypt had been black-listed. (They gave no criteria for blacklisting the Women.) The Egyptian government has closed the Rafah Border until Sunday 9th March when it is highly unlikely any of the women will be allowed to cross into Gaza to meet with the women of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, including solar lights. (6 – 12 hours a day the people are without electricity).

On arrival home in Belfast, Northern Ireland o­n 5th March, Mairead Maguire appealed to International community to do something to help the people of Gaza get the blockade lifted and support the women of Gaza and their families in their struggle for human rights and freedom. Maguire said:

“As pacifists and people of peace wishing to visit Gaza to stand in solidarity with the women and their families o­n International Women’s Day, and support the Palestinians call for the Israeli government to lift the blockade of Gaza and uphold human rights and international law, we deeply regret that the Egyptian government has deported us making it impossible for us to be with the people of Gaza. By such actions such as closing Rafah Border, closing tunnels from Gaza, etc., the Egyptian government is complicit with the illegal policy of Israeli government that continues to break the Geneva Convention by collective punishment of the people of Gaza.

“Gaza, with a population of l.7 million (mostly youth) has been cut off by Israel from Palestinians in West Bank and East Bank with its airport destroyed by Israel, Gaza port closed for over 40 years and borders with Israel and Egypt open infrequently. They are bombed every few days from the air by Israeli drone bombing.

“Gaza is regarded as the largest open air prison population in the world. Gaza’s Palestinians call to open the border crossing and end the occupation falls o­n deaf ears, as the US government continues to finance Israeli military occupation and also funds the Egyptian military, the second highest recipient of USA funding, next to Israel.

“These apartheid/racist policies of Israel, which are causing so much suffering, must be changed and o­n International Women’s Day I would like to appeal to everyone to do something for the Women of Gaza.”

Mairead Corrigan Maguire is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace, Development and Environment. She won the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize for her work for peace in Northern Ireland. Her book The Vision of Peace (edited by John Dear, with a foreword by Desmond Tutu and a preface by the Dalai Lama) is available from www.wipfandstock.com. She lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland. See: www.peacepeople.com.